Tag Archives: Settings

With EQ setting, Beats headphones and the iPhone could be the perfect match. Image courtesy of MJ Rodriguez Photography.

So, despite their massive popularity – which even extends to celebrities like Lebron James, Lil Wayne, Gwen Stefani, and other a-listers – the Beats by Dre line of headphones has got a sort of questionable rep since its release.

The collection of high-end headphones has been criticized as having a sound that's too bass-y and artificial to warrant their equally high-end price tag.

Moreover, as Mashable notes, the headphones – which are compatible with Apple devices like iPhone, iPad and iPod – are probably better suited to a recording studio, where you get a range of sound equalizing options, than to a phone or tablet.

Still, there are some who'd prefer a more balanced sound from the ragingly popular headphones, even if they're listening to tunes on their mobile device. And, according to Mashable, there is a "secret iPhone setting that makes Beats headphones sound better."

We're not really sure how "secret" this is, but here's how to equalize your sound for your own tastes. By default, your iPhone has the equalizer (EQ) turned off. To access it, turn it on, and choose from two dozen settings, go to:

Settings >> Music >> EQ.

Go to Settings, then Music, then EQ. Play around til you're happy.

From there, you can select Bass Reducer, to reduce the boominess of bass when listening to with your Beats. If you actually love bass and want even more of it, there are settings like Late Night and Bass Booster too, as well as settings for particular music genres, from classical to jazz, hip hop, and electronica.

Just play around until you're satisfied. It's certainly no recording studio with its plethora of controls, settings and levels. We are talking about a phone after all. But it's certainly closer to the setup that Beats were probably intended for than your basic, un-levelled listening device.